A journey to the Maldives can be utterly unforgettable, but when you encounter a rare sighting, it truly becomes the crowning glory of an extraordinary holiday.
There’s an abundance of activities available on the islands, ranging from water sports to dolphin excursions and even luxurious spa retreats.
One woman was absolutely astounded by her fortune when a snorkelling expedition transformed into a genuinely remarkable experience.
Snorkelling offers an excellent opportunity to appreciate marine life and discover the underwater realm, and while it’s appropriate for most age groups, you’ll require robust swimming abilities.
The travel influencer, recognised as Tasha, was recently on a snorkelling adventure in the Maldives when she encountered a hammerhead shark.
These creatures can be exceptionally uncommon to observe and are occasionally only witnessed on considerably more distant islands.
Tasha was positioned just off Thulusdhoo when she made the discovery.
Overlaying her video, she declared: “Rich because I saw one of the most rare sightings in the Maldives with my own eyes.”
Her caption stated: “Still not over that we saw a HAMMERHEAD SHARK on a snorkel trip off Thulusdhoo with @Say Yes! Adventures.
“These are super rare and only sometimes seen on much further islands! ! ! ! And I didn’t even see them in the Galapagos!”
Following her posting of the footage where she audibly gasped at the encounter, her video garnered 169,100 likes and hundreds of responses.
One remarked: “I lived there for 2 years and snorkelled every day and never saw a hammerhead! This is insanely lucky.”
Another individual exclaimed: “Craziest moment ever, will never get over this.”
A third person added: “I would cry for days on, that’s so beautiful.”
Another comment read: “Omg at Thulusdhoo, that’s sooo lucky!” And a fifth remarked: “This would be the highlight of my year.”
Seeing a hammerhead shark can be quite thrilling and they are not generally considered dangerous to humans.
However, the large great hammerhead is an exception and could potentially pose a threat, although these encounters are uncommon.
The few recorded attacks are usually due to surprise or fear, and humans are not a natural prey for hammerheads, who primarily feed on stingrays, crustaceans and bony fish.
Average flight costs to the Maldives from the UK fluctuate significantly, but you can anticipate paying around £500-£700 for a return economy flight.
Prices also range from under £300 to over £1,800 depending on the season, airline and flexibility. The average flight duration is approximately 10 hours and 18 minutes to 12 hours and 44 minutes, but this can extend with layovers.